RuneScape's Newest Skill, Archaeology, Is Now Live, Lets You Summon Demons (Intentionally!)

RuneScape's newest skill, Archaeology, is now live, enabling the residents of Gielinor to discover the secrets of the world's history and also acquire some sweet new powers. Archaeology is the 28th skill to come to the game and has a max level of 120, including a limit of 20 for free players, as opposed to the usual level limit of five. Free players will have access to the first dig site, Kharid-Et, and there are four others throughout the world, each with their own secrets waiting to be unearthed.

In addition to uncovering the lore of the game, Archaeology will let players re-assemble fragments of ancient artifacts to unlock new powers and also summon demons to their aid -- intentionally, that is, unlike how it usually happens in movies when someone goes digging around a dusty old tomb. Players can also trade in their completed artifacts for Chronotes, a new currency that they can exchange for various rewards.

Players can also get their hands on an elite skilling outfit for Archaeology, granting perks and increased excavation success rate and teleports to dig site camps, and there's also the skilling pet, Archie the child mummy -- or as I like to call him, a tragic child who died too young, though the Jagex representatives I talked to said that he's accepted his new "life" and likes to boast about having "been there" for many events throughout history. You do you, Archie.

There's also a contest going on right now, encouraging creative players to create their own piece of art related to Archaeology. It runs until April 26, with the winners to be announced a week later. The top two entries will receive a Razer Kraken Ultimate Headset and six-month RuneScape membership. To learn more about the contest and the new Archaeology update, including patch notes, check out the RuneScape site or the corresponding entry on the RuneScape wiki.